Senator John Cornyn Cares A Great Deal About Texas Wildfires And About Photo Ops

Texas U.S. Senator got a briefing yesterday from the Texas Forest Service about the wildfires in Texas.

Above you see a picture from this briefing.

The Senator is the gentleman with white hair.

Do you think the folks from the Texas Forest Service briefed Senator Cornyn on the sharp cuts to the Forest Service approved by Governor Rick Perry and the Republican-controlled Texas legislature?

From the Fort-Worth Star Telegram-—

The Legislature cut the agency’s funding this year to $83 million from $117 million, according to Robby DeWitt, the forest service’s associate finance director. … Chris Barron, executive director of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, said: “It’s very frustrating that they don’t have the proper tools and resources to fight these fires. If fire departments had enough funding, if the forest service had enough funding, we wouldn’t be in this predicament over each and every year.” 

Senator Cornyn wants you to know that he is very concerned about the wildfires in Texas.

Senator Cornyn is real concerned just as long as you know that his concern does not translate beyond a photo op, and a briefing with people who have no choice but to sit with the Senator and to be used as props.

Strong Protest At Senator John Cornyn’s Office In Support Of Good Jobs, Investement In America, and Increased Taxes On The Most Wealthy

The good Americans you see in the picture above were protesting today outside the Houston office of Republican U.S.  Senator John Cornyn.

These loyal Americans were demanding tax increases for the most wealthy, good jobs, and a federal budget that invests in America. They were out protesting because they know that the work of freedom is up to each of us.

Our Tea Party/Republican Party foes never rest in helping the rich get richer, and in making sure that hard honest work does not pay off for everyday Americans.

These protestors were part of the Good Jobs=Great Houston Coalition.

Here are the member groups as of so far in the Good Jobs coalition.  You can click on the logo of each group to learn more about what they do.

It is up to each of us to be involved in our future.

Every Texan and every American has the ability to attend a public meeting, attend or organize a protest, write or call an elected official, talk to friends and family, start a blog, donate money, write a letter to the editor, volunteer for candidates and causes, engage in acts of civil disobedience, and even run for public office.

Some On The Right Doubting The Fact That Osama Is Dead—These Are The Voices Directing Today’s Republican Party

Osama bin Laden has been killed and buried at sea.

Will it surprise you to know that some of our fellow Americans remain unconvinced that this is really what has taken place?

(Tea Party protestors. Photo by dbking.) 

Below are just a few of the comments in reaction to Osama’s death from the Facebook page of Houston radio station 740 KTRH and from the Facebook page of Texas U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

These people don’t represent all Americans or all Republicans. Yet given that Donald Trump is leading the polls for the Republican Presidential nomination, and given the extreme tone overall of the Republican Party/Tea Party, it has value to understand the voices that will be well-heard  by elected Republicans and by Republicans seeking office around the nation in 2012.

They don’t believe the birth certificate is real and they don’t believe that Osama is dead. Are these the folks you want directing the future of the United States of America?

From the reactions to Osama’s death—

As long as our country hunted this so called man they should of hung him on the whitehouse lawn for all the world to see not at sea.I ‘m not buying it.

how do you know he didn’t die of natural cause he’s old and sick just to get credit for his death.

Now why on Earth would they have done something so incredibly stupid as to dispose of the body??? Me smells a rat.

How convenient for Obama, who has thw lowest approval ratings of his career. And wasn’t Khalid Sheik Mohammmd the mastermind of the attacks, Osama just bankrolled them. Where was Osama killed? When? Where is video of his corpse, man?

It makes me rather suspicious. Now I wonder just how real this is.

Obama made sure his brother’s remains were properly disposed of according to the Muslim tradition hmmmmmmm…..how convenient.

How convenient, no one knew where he was. Obama’s popularity is falling even among the unthinking masses on the left. Now we hear reports of the man everyone has been looking for dead, and we dispose of the body before anyone can see it, “out of respect”. Just before a second run for president for the man who has been lying to us since he took office. Next we’ll get a photoshop picture as proof.

Buried at sea before an autopsy or proof could be gathered? To respect Muslim traditions? Come on, America…. start demanding some proof.

This just in: Osama’s body has been buried at sea! Can we say “Big fat HOAX” boys and girls? Can we say “Election Ploy”? Dear Mr. Obama: April Fool’s Day was April 1st. You’re a month late!

Is Bin Laden dead? Wheres the proof? Did you guys at least bring his head back. To show us that he is dead.

Obama is blowing smoke up our asses. I want to see Osama and think he needs to be on exhibit for ALL Americans to see that he’s REALLY DEAD!!!

There BETTER be pictures.

Right buried the body at sea? WTF are you kidding me?

Senator Cornyn, there better be a Congressional hearing for testimony on all this. The Administration dumped evidence into the sea under the guise of respect for Islamic law, I’m sorry why would we throw away very important evidence????

Sort of like the Obama Birth Certificate, all on paper with no physical proof!!!!!!!!!!! Just like all the MSM reports

DNA test that was done on the spot, in one day? No other samples to confirm it?? HAHA

Of Course The Texas Motor Speedway Received A Large Public Subsidy When It Was Built

Republican U.S Senator from Texas John Cornyn attended a NASCAR race at the Texas Motor Speedway over the last weekend.

Above is a picture of our white-haired blue-shirted Senator.

He is just one of the folks out at the NASCAR race. He is just one of us.

When I saw that our conservative  government-bashing Senator Cornyn had visited the Speedway, I just knew that the Texas Motor Speedway had to have been built with at least some government help.

I Googled something like “texas motor speedway public money” and found that–of course–the construction of the Texas Motor Speedway had received a significant public subsidy, and that the owners of the speedway have a 30 year exemption from city and county property taxes.

The book Sports Finance by Gil Fried, Steven Shapiro, and Timothy Deschiver reports that the speedway received $16 million in tax money from the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County for road and sewer improvements.  This money was in addition to the 30 year tax break.

The Texas Motor Speedway opened in 1997.

I’ve got no problem with NASCAR. If folks want to see an automobile race, then that is great.

It simply would be good if people like Senator Cornyn would admit that government has always had a large role to play in the building of Texas.

And, since Senator Cornyn will never tell the truth about much of anything, if would be helpful if everyday Texans better understood that they benefit all the time from the works of government.

Though, as it so often is with these things, while helping with the roads and sewers for the Speedway might be of some economic value to the people of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the 30 year property tax exemption is another matter.

The next time NASCAR fans in Texas ponder the subject of welfare, they might keep in mind who really gets the big breaks.

Here Is What Tea Party Republicans Say About Senator Cornyn Addressing Hispanic Lawyers—Here Is Why Texas Will Become A Democratic State

Republican U.S. Senator from Texas John Cornyn made the following update on his official Facebook page on Wednesday 9/8—

“At DFW headed to Minneapolis to speak to Hispanic National Bar Association.”

Here are some of the 59 comments the Senator got back from folks signed up to receive his Facebook page—

“Check ID’s at the door.”

“Aren’t you a TEXAS Senator?”

“Thinking of moving up there or buying a ranch??? Surprised the Hispanic Bar Association invited you. Interesting who you accept money from these days!”

“Kisses up to the open borders crowd frequently. He welcomed the new head of LULAC to, but took the post down after to many negative comments.”

“You going to talk Amnesty Senator?”

“I did not know that Hispanic’s ? had a different Law.”

“Did you notice there are no white bar associations or white chamber of commerce.”

“When could you have a Nat’l White Bar Assoc. w/o causing an up-roar!Or a White Miss America, or White Caucus?”

“Yeah, I noticed and there are no White American College Fund either.”

“Senator Cornyn, you are about to put yourself in company with Brown, Snowe, Collins, Murkowski, McCain, Lugar and Graham. One of them has already been rejected. There will be more. It’s time for America to be American again. Those who don’t have the stomach for it need to be rejected.”

“How about speaking at the White National Bar Association?”

“Are you going to speak English?”

“Can you please take a copy of the Constitution so they can actually see what our laws are?”

“Why do they have to be a Hispanic Association? If the are true Americans and accept our country and laws and assemilate themselves into our customs and culture, then they are an American Bar Association! Ask them about that! You’re either one of us or your not one of us.”

Minneapolis? I thought the Hispanic national Bar was the cadillac bar in Nuevo Laredo!

And Republicans wonder why they are sometimes called racist.

Imagine—The very conservative  John Cornyn is not far enough to the right for the modern Tea Party Republican Party.

For independents thinking of voting Republican this year, consider the replies you see above.

For Hispanics thinking of voting Republican this year or thinking of sitting the election out, consider the replies you see above.

Good luck to the Republican Party in Texas when it comes to holding power in our state over the long haul.

Here is the web home of the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Senator Cornyn Silent On Hard Times For Texans, But Quite Vocal About Al Franken

Our terrible Texas Senator John Cornyn has very little to say about our current economic troubles, but he sure goes on a lot about the closely contested U.S. Senate race in Minnesota.

(Please click here to read the latest report on Senator-elect Al Franken’s ever expanding lead in the Minnesota count.)

Senator Cornyn has been all over making sure that the next U.S. Senator from Minnesota, Al Franken, must face every possible obstructionist hurdle before he can take the seat he won at the ballot box last November. Senator Cornyn has said he will help filibuster any effort to seat Mr. Franken.

Yet on the portion of his U.S. Senate web home labeled “Jobs and The Economy“, Senator Cornyn has added only one update since October 27. The subject of that one update was the proposed auto bailout. Here is some of the wisdom the Senator offered on that issue—

“The nation’s top automakers this week presented their proposals to the Democratic Congressional leadership on how they plan to turn around their businesses and get out of debt. I have yet to see the details of their proposals so I cannot comment on the merits…”

Where are the Senator’s viewpoints on what Texas needs from the upcoming stimulus package? Or his suggestions for job creation in these hard times? How many Texans have lost jobs since October 27 while Senator Cornyn is MIA on issues of substance? 

Above you see a picture of Senator-elect Franken. Those two Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have no problem with the idea of Senator Franken. It is clear from the picture above that Mr. Franken is a friend of Texas. I think he may even be in love with Texas. (He was on a USO tour of Iraq in this photo.)

So what is Senator Cornyn’s problem?

One thing is that Senator Cornyn has plenty of time on his hands ignoring the needs of the hard-working Texans. Idle hands are indeed the Devil’s workshop.

In fact, Senator Cornyn is now getting involved in the Illinois Senate dispute as well. 

The other issue is that the Republican rump of 41 Senators has selected Mr. Cornyn as Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 

If only Senator Cornyn worked as hard for all Texans as he does for his apparently more important constituency of the few remaining Republican Senators in Washington.

Who Is Running For The United States Senate In Texas In 2008?

Is there a United States Senate race on the ballot In Texas in 2008 and, if so, who are the candidates?  

There is one United States Senate seat from Texas up for election this year.

Democratic State Representative Rick Noriega is the nominee of his party for this office.

Mr. Noriega is a native Texan and an experienced legislator. He was elected to the Texas House in 1998. 

Representative Noriega is also an officer in the Texas Army National Guard and has served extensively in Afghanistan. Please click here to learn more about Mr. Noriega.

The incumbent is the deeply conservative John Cornyn. Mr. Cornyn was first elected in 2002 with, for a Texas Republican in recent years, a relatively low 55% of the vote.

I would argue Senator Cornyn is out of step with the needs of Texans today, and, also, with the state Texas is becoming.

With a firmly established pattern of supporting the failed War in Iraq, crippling Medicare and being stingy on veteran’s benefits, Senator Cornyn represents a past many Texans are now questioning and a future that offers little response to the changing economic and demographic facts of our state and our nation.   

As I write this in late June, a recent poll asserts Mr. Noriega is running just two points behind Mr. Cornyn. This is a strong showing against an incumbent.

As you begin to focus on your options for the November ballot, I ask you to please consider Rick Noriega for the United States Senate from Texas.

This is cross-posted at the Houston Chronicle where I am one of eight featured political reader bloggers. 

Below is a photo of Rick Noriega.

Noriega & More—Texas Political Notes And Thoughts

Some political notes and thoughts from Texas and Harris County—

(Above is the harbor at Palacios in Matagorda County. George Bush won 65% of the nearly 12,500 votes cast in Matagorda in 2004. But I’m certain that four years of calm seaside reflection has given the good folks of Matagorda a new view of things for 2008.) 

Noriega Senate Race

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega of Houston is polled by Rasmussen as running only 4 points behind far-right incumbent John Cornyn. In this polling snapshot, the race is seen as 47% for Mr. Cornyn and 43% for Mr. Noriega.  

Mr. Noriega is a Texas State representative.

I recall early numbers from 2002 that had former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk running ahead of then Texas Attorney General Cornyn. At the time, Mr. Kirk’s favorable name recognition in the Dallas metroplex was a source of his strength.  

Mr. Cornyn won that race 55% -43% in a Republican year. 

This time around, it may be that some Texans are reconsidering allegiance to Republican party ( As well they should.) and that demographic changes in this majority-minority state are finally catching up to the ballot box.

Mr. Noriega’s 51% showing in the Texas Democratic primary was not impressive. Yet, Mr. Noriega will no doubt establish himself among Texas Democrats as November approaches. If the broader climate in Texas is moving towards Democrats, than Mr. Noriega may have a shot.  

Here is Mr. Noriega’s campaign web home.   

Harris County Races

Recent reports on racial disparities in application of the death penalty in Harris County, and reports from Dallas county about long-term inmates being set free after being proved innocent show the importance of a new justice team in Harris County.   

The new Democratic District Attorney in Dallas County has made such a positive difference in that part of Texas.   

Electing C.O. Bradford as District Attorney and Adrian Garcia as County Sheriff would be a good start towards the more fair practice of justice in Harris County.   

The Harris County Democratic coordinated campaign will be led by Bill Kelly.

I’ve seen Democratic coordinated campaigns in other parts of the country that involved walking around money for local pastors and others, and mailings into minority communities featuring white politicians linked up with black politicians.

These mailings were meant to aid white politicians by associating them with black candidates in areas where many black voters live. Yet it never seemed to work the other way of mailings into mostly white areas as a way to boost black candidates.    

One of the many reasons I’m glad to hear about the appointment of Mr. Kelly is that I know it portends real change in Harris County.    

Change for the Harris County Democratic Party as it moves to full inclusion of the voters who are the backbone of its local support, and, after success at the ballot box, changes in public policy such as the immediate need for a better justice system.  

In addition to the $500 breakfast listed on the web page of the Harris County Democratic Party, I look forward to a more broad based campaign kick-off event to generate excitement about the November ticket. 

This post is also at my Houston Chronicle blog where I’m one of eight featured political bloggers.

(The Houston Ship Channel is a big deal in Harris County. Harris County voted 54% -46 % for George Bush in 2004. There were just over 1.05 million votes cast. 2008 may be a more successful year for Harris County Democrats. ) 

   

Rick Noriega Has Work To Do To Win U.S. Senate Race In Texas

Good news from the Texas primary last night for State Representative Rick Noriega of Houston  was that he avoided a runoff.

Mr. Noriega was 51% of votes cast against three weak opponents.

The bad news for Mr. Noriega was that he won just 51% against three weak opponents.

2.86 million people voted in the Democratic presidential race yesterday in Texas

2.16 million voted in the Senate contest.

Nearly a quarter of Democratic primary voters did not get very far down the ticket.

Maybe they they were in a hurry and had someplace else to go. 

In the Senate race there was no real reason for a Democrat not to vote for Mr. Noriega.

By any conventional standard, Mr. Noriega was the likely nominee, the strongest candidate for the general election and pretty much the only “serious” candidate on the Democratic ballot to face incumbent John Cornyn.

There was no reason that would serve the party in November, or any type of ideological split, that merited forcing Mr. Noriega into a runoff.

Just under 39% of all Democrats who voted yesterday voted for Mr. Noriega.     

It simply seems that many Democrats did not know who Mr. Noriega was.

From the Republican side it was more good news/bad news for Mr. Noriega.

The good news was the superior Democratic turnout.

1.38 million Republicans voted in the Presidential race. 

1.21 million Republicans voted in the senate primary between Mr. Cornyn and a man named Larry Kilgore.     

Hopefully Democrats have been energized to show up in November. Almost twice as many voted people in the Democratic Senate primary as did in the Republican primary.

On the other hand, Mr. Cornyn won 81% of the vote in his race and 72% of all Republicans voting cast a ballot for Mr. Cornyn.  

Republicans know who Mr. Cornyn is and are basically willing to vote for him.

Mr. Noriega has overcome one challenge by winning the Democratic primary without a runoff.

Yet in addition to making the case against Senator Cornyn, it appears he still has work to do in introducing himself to Texas Democrats.  

Get to know Rick Noriega a little better by clicking here to visit his homepage.

Congress Wrong To Act On Either MoveOn Or Rush Limbaugh

Congress is wrong to become involved in the free speech rights of either online advocacy group Moveon.org or radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. 

It is no surprise that my terrible Senator, John Cornyn of Texas, offered the resolution in the Senate to condemn MoveOn.  

Both Moveon and Mr. Limbaugh have made recent statements seen by some as overly harsh or somehow  improper about persons involved with the War in Iraq.

Anyone can say anything they want about the war and about people fighting the war.

Congress condemned MoveOn in a formal vote. That was wrong. Now some in Congress want to condemn Mr. Limbaugh. This is wrong as well.

These issues are fine for campaign speeches.

However, when Congress gets into the business of voting on the merits of what should be protected free speech, we all risk losing our most basic freedoms.